Most people know the steps of Qurbani. Buy the animal. Check its condition. Make an intention. Perform the sacrifice on the right days of Dhul Hijjah.
But the part that often gets rushed or nervously mumbled is the dua. The actual words you say at that moment.
And that’s a shame. Because those words aren’t just a formality. They’re the whole point. The moment your lips say “Bismillah, Allahu Akbar” and you consciously dedicate that act to Allah alone, that’s when your Qurbani stops being a transaction and becomes ‘ibadah.
Let’s go through the duas properly. Not just what to say, but why each part matters.
The Dua to Recite Before the Qurbani Slaughter
When you’re standing with the animal, facing Qiblah, and you’re about to begin this is what you say:
بِسْمِ اللهِ وَاللهُ أَكْبَرُ
Bismillahi, Allahu Akbar
“In the name of Allah; Allah is the Greatest.”
That’s the minimum. Three words. But those three words do something that nothing else in the ritual can mark the act as an act of worship. Without them, the slaughter is just slaughter. With them, it’s Qurbani.
The Full Qurbani Dua in Arabic (With Transliteration and Meaning)
If you want to recite the longer, more complete dua the one that follows the Sunnah of the Prophet here it is:
إِنِّي وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ، إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ
Inni wajjahtu wajhiya lillazi fatara al-samawati wal-arda hanifan wama ana minal mushrikeen. Inna salati wa nusuki wa mahyaya wa mamati lillahi rabbil ‘alamin. La sharika lahu wa bizalika umirtu wa ana minal muslimeen.
“I have turned my face toward the One who created the heavens and the earth, upright, and I am not of the polytheists. Verily, my prayer, my sacrifice, my life, and my death are all for Allah, Lord of the worlds. No partner has He. Thus I have been commanded, and I am of the Muslims.”
Then immediately say:
بِسْمِ اللهِ وَاللهُ أَكْبَرُ
Bismillahi, Allahu Akbar
The Dua After Qurbani — When It’s Done
Once the sacrifice is complete, the Sunnah is to make this supplication:
اَللَّهُمَّ تَقَبَّلْ مِنِّي
Allahumma taqabbal minni
“O Allah, accept this from me.”
If you’re sacrificing on behalf of someone else, you simply add their name:
“Allahumma taqabbal min [person’s name]”
The Prophet reportedly made this dua after his own Qurbani, and it’s the most sincere thing you can say once the act is done a final, quiet ask for acceptance.
What If You Forget the Dua?
This is a real concern, especially for first-timers. The short answer: say Bismillah at minimum. The longer dua is Sunnah, not obligatory. If anxiety takes over and the only thing that comes out is “Bismillah, Allahu Akbar” that’s completely valid.
Islam is not a religion that punishes sincere effort. Allah knows your intention before the words leave your mouth.
Performing Qurbani on Someone Else’s Behalf — What to Say
If you’re making Qurbani on behalf of a family member, a deceased parent, or someone who cannot perform it themselves, the niyyah (intention) carries the distinction. You make the intention internally that this Qurbani is on their behalf, then in the dua after, you say:
“Allahumma taqabbal min [their name] wa min ahli baytihi”
“O Allah, accept this from [their name] and from the people of their household.”
This is especially meaningful when donating your Qurbani through an organisation like Human Relief International where the physical sacrifice is performed on your behalf, in regions where families need it most.
The Real Meaning Behind These Words
When Ibrahim (AS) raised the knife, he wasn’t thinking about technique. He was thinking about Allah. That total focus and complete presence in the moment is what the dua is designed to recreate.
The words “Inni wajjahtu wajhiya” literally mean “I have turned my face.” It’s a declaration of direction. Of purpose. You’re not just slaughtering an animal, you’re turning yourself toward something. Toward the One who gave you everything you’re now offering back.
That’s not theology for scholars. That’s something anyone can feel, if they slow down enough to mean the words they say.
Give Your Qurbani Where It Reaches the Ones Who Need It
At Human Relief International, we perform Qurbani on your behalf in Pakistan distributing fresh meat to families who would otherwise spend Eid without it. Flood-affected communities. Orphans. Widows. Families in Swat and beyond who remember your name in their dua, even if they’ll never know it.
Your Qurbani. Their Eid.
Donate your Qurbani at humanreliefusa.com Zakat and Sadaqah eligible. Transparent. On the ground.
Say the dua. Mean it. Let us handle the rest.
